


Sanders Side - Helplessly in Love

by gottawriteanegoortwo



Series: Sanders Sides (No Ships) [5]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Aromantic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, Gen, No Sides are unsympathetic. Patton and Virgil are wary, Remus is trying to behave but some comments slip through, Sympathetic Dark Creativity | Remus "The Duke" Sanders, love advice
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:07:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,180
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25788553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gottawriteanegoortwo/pseuds/gottawriteanegoortwo
Summary: Thomas has fallen in love with someone. Instead of Roman, Remus has appeared to help! What’s going on? Is Remus genuinely wanting to help Thomas figure out how to confess his feelings, or is this a scheme to cause trouble and chaos?
Series: Sanders Sides (No Ships) [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1870696
Comments: 10
Kudos: 44





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Since Thomas is in the process of making a Sanders Aside, I thought I'd dive in and get my 'episode' posted first. There's no specific point in canon where this would logically take place, so consider it a stand-alone.
> 
> Shout out to my friend [jvnusanders](https://jvnusanders.tumblr.com) who has not only had to put up with me talking about this since early June, but also read through it to make sure everything was okay.

An unexpected meeting while visiting friends had Thomas’ heart fluttering excitedly by the time he arrived home. He was in love! He hadn’t told the guy, but he had to try and figure out what to do to express himself! They swapped numbers, so there was a chance for something good!

“You seem… Oddly carefree.” Not even the sudden appearance of Virgil sitting at the bottom of the stairs could startle Thomas. He dropped to the couch with a long, content sigh as the Side rolled his eyes. “Really? You’re going to be sappy on me?”

“Oh, Virge. I never thought I’d feel this way again! Can’t you be happy for me?” One of Thomas’ hands blindly reached out to his left until he grasped a cushion he could cuddle. “I can’t remember the last time this happened. I want to do something, but it’s like my brain has blanked entirely -”

“I am perfectly fine?” Logan rose up, the confusion in his voice serving as the only break from his flat expression. “I have been making sure you have been working at your maximum capability all day. Ergo, I am behaving as expected with zero ‘blanks’ today.”

“Oh! No, sorry Logan. I didn’t mean to call you. It’s like… My heart, you know? It wants to break free and sing!”

“Now kiddo. I know I’ve been a lot jollier lately, but I’m quite happy doing what I always do. I'm not looking to run away and leave you alone like that!” Now it was Patton’s turn to appear, complete with a mug of hot chocolate in his hands. This had Thomas jump off the couch and hurry over to the group with a guilty expression. 

“I am so sorry! I didn’t mean to call for any of you. I just feel so - so bubbly and I don’t know what to do about it!” Thomas rubbed the back of his neck with an apologetic smile. The three sides swapped looks, before realisation hit Patton.

“Oh, of course! You’re in love with that cute fella you were talking to!” The moral Side beamed when Thomas nodded in confirmation. Now all that was needed was for Patton to talk him through it! “That is so exciting! But I’m afraid that’s not an area I work in.”

“But, wait. Last time, you were the one who…?” Thomas trailed off with a pointed hand half-raised. He slumped a little as Patton shook his head.

“I know I was the one who was nostalgic at the time. But I’m afraid you got the wrong Side. That’s _Roman’s_ job, remember?” Patton turned expectedly to where Roman ought to be, only to be greeted by the sight of just the TV. He scratched his head with a frown as Logan nodded.

“Yes, Patton is correct. If we want to help you overcome your nerves and figure out the correct message to instigate conversation through texting and possibly develop some sort of positive relationship with this young man, then we will need a romantical insight to help sieve the fantastical out and find the most apt common sense solution.” Logan lifted his arm to summon Roman. Nothing happened. Instead, Virgil rose to his feet, shifting uncomfortably as his hands dove into his hoodie pockets.

“That’s weird. Princey would leap at any chance he’d get to be the centre of attention. You sure you have your feelings right?” Virgil turned his head to look at Thomas, the other two quick to do the same. Thomas nodded rapidly.

“Of course! I know what it feels like to be in love! This could be something big! I _know_ I can’t be wrong about this.” Thomas’ hands tightly gripped his hair as he tried to verbalise how he felt. “But if Roman isn’t appearing, then what if I am viewing it wrong? What if I’m so desperate for company I’ll take a nice smile and small talk to mean something more?”

“Oh chill out, _scaredy cat!_ You’re right about being in love!”

The new voice cut the uncertain atmosphere clean in two. Everyone turned to identify the source. There, standing by the TV, was Remus. His posture was relaxed, complete with his morningstar casually resting against his shoulder. This didn’t change when panic set in.

“Oh no. No no no. I do NOT want you here to make matters worse!” Thomas snapped. He pointed an accusing finger at Remus. “Where is Roman?! What did you do to him this time?”

“Yeah! Why stand where our love expert should be?” Patton added with a huff. Remus sighed and tilted his head slightly to the left.

“That’s the problem. Your ‘love expert’ is so caught up in love he’s not able to hear anything beyond whatever song he's humming. I came here to help in his place. All things considered, I’m your best bet to figure this out.” Despite this, he braced himself for rejection, which immediately happened.

“No way! Last time you were here you only made matters worse for me. You stop whatever evil thing you’re planning and give us Roman back! I’m not having you ruin this for me!” With his arms crossed, Thomas seemed dead-set on this conclusion. “Go! Before you cause more trouble!”

“Oh, okay. So what are you going to do - go to Roman’s room and have everyone else become lovey-dovey as well while you panic about your feelings in the middle of it all?” Logan opened his mouth to interrupt, but Remus aimed the morningstar at the logical Side. “Nuh-uh. You’re not gonna claim you feel no emotion at all. I heard on the spider web about how spooked you were the time you all decided to voyage into the anxious unknown!” With a deadpan expression, Remus tilted his head to give Thomas his attention. “Listen, Thomas. If you go there alone, you’re gonna be far worse than you are right now, and you won’t have the others to help give you good answers. If you want guidance, you need me here today.”

“Thomas, this is a _bad_ idea. Why would Remus want to help us? He obviously hurt Roman, and he’ll want to hurt you too. We’ve seen it before.” Virgil’s fringe fell over one eye, but his face remained steeled. Patton nodded in agreement, fearful as he remembered what happened when they first met Remus. Only Logan seemed unresponsive to Virgil's statement, and Remus realised there was still a chance. He'd need to act fast before Thomas sent him away, for good this time. 

"If I really did want to cause trouble, I would have done so. It would be easy for me to play the part of Roman. I'm an honest soul, but if I wasn't..." An eyebrow was raised as he continued in a voice that matched the prince's perfectly. "If I had decided to appear as my stuffy stately sibling, not a one of you would be any the wiser!"

"Okay, okay, stop. That's creeping me out." Thomas shuddered, shaking his head. "But, you have a point about-" He couldn't finish his sentence as Remus dramatically raised his morningstar in the air with intent to strike. "What are you doing?!"

"Proving a point!" Remus let the weapon slide down his hand, before aiming the handle at Patton. "Take it."

“Now I’m not one to support the owning of weapons that can hurt others -”

"But you're the dad, right? Confiscate my weapon. If I behave, I get it back. If I don't, you can keep it. It's my most prized possession, a one of a kind weapon. Isn't that how you make sure someone behaves?" At least that was enough for Patton to reluctantly snatch the weapon away, though his butter fingers ensured that both it and his empty mug quickly crashed to the floor; the latter smashing and disappearing out of existence.

"At least the weapon cannot cause physical damage to Thomas’ floor..." Logan sighed with an adjustment of his glasses. "Very well. If we are to use you as an alternate source of love experience, can we be confident that you will refrain from distracting us from the important issue at hand?" Instead of a verbal answer, Remus waved his left hand. A red scarf with golden patterns woven throughout wrapped around his arm and bunched in the palm of his hand.

"Roman dropped this one time in the Imagination. The red will remind me of what I'm doing." Thomas noticed how it was a fluid movement, like it was one repeated several times before. If the twins didn't get along, why would Remus have a tactic for keeping focused? No one else mentioned it, but he noticed how Virgil gave him an uneasy glance. He didn't seem too sure, but kept quiet. Did he think that it was better than nothing? 

"Okay, let me get this straight. You're here instead of Roman to give me advice on love, because he isn't… able to hear me?" Thomas decided a bit of clarity was needed.

"Sort of. When Roman feels love, he gets excited and impulsive. I'm sure you can remember that?" Thomas and the other sides nod, recalling vivid memories of how Roman behaved the last time Thomas thought of 'Guys and Dolls', the time Roman got so focused on a guy that they missed Joan's show, among other things. "Now Thomas, you never spoke with us like this when you last fell in love. I'm surprised none of the other Sides remember what happened."

Thomas’s eyes shot around the room for ideas. Patton was fidgeting with the sleeves of the sweater with guilt, Virgil couldn’t muster the confidence to look Thomas in the eye, and Logan sighed.

"Very well. I suppose it makes sense that I would have to be the one to recall the event." He rolled his eyes with a flat expression. "When you last experienced romantic attraction of this level, Roman was somewhat useless on the matter of giving grounded and sensible advice. Compare it to when you would drink coffee. You rely on the caffeine to provide a surge of energy for you to stay awake or focus on the necessary tasks. At the time, Roman was working in his element, providing both romantic-themed ideas and day-dreams. This time, I assume Remus is implying that your emotions for this person are more than he can handle and thus have rendered him somewhat incapable to function at present."

"Wait, wait." Virgil raised a hand to interrupt. "Are you trying to say Roman has had too much 'love' and can't focus on anything?"

"Exactly!" Remus chirped. "It's like he snorted cocaine and -" He raised his hands, noticed the red scarf, and slowly lowered them. "Sorry. I'm focused. Like Logan said, Roman has had too much, uh, 'love coffee' and he is so wired he can't focus on anything at all beyond the bubble of what he's currently doing." With a furrowed expression, he threw a look at Logan like he was seeking approval. When the other nodded with a hint of a smile, Remus relaxed. "But it'll be infectious. If you go to his room, you'll be swept up in all those fairytale ideas he has."

"But that's a good thing, right?" Patton seemed confused. "That's what love is supposed to feel like! You get butterflies in your tummy, you can't think about anyone but them, and you want to sing all the love songs! That's just Roman on a really good day!"

"Or when he wants to be more annoying," Virgil added with a grumble.

"So why is that a bad thing?" Patton pressed his lips tight as he waited for the response.

"Look, I'm sure I'm not the best source for giving romantic advice of any kind, but I can look at love from the outside. Can you think of songs that talk about dedicating your whole life to love?" Remus extended both hands while waiting for an answer. When none came from anyone, he sighed. " 'All You Need Is Love'? 'All of me loves all of you'?"

"How wonderful life is while you're in the world!" Patton piped up.

"I would drive on to the end with you, a liquor store or two keeps the gas tank full?" Virgil didn't seem too confident with his choice, but Remus' grin had him realise he had indeed given a good example.

"Yes! Just like that! Lots of love songs make it known that falling in love and loving someone is the most important thing in the world. I might be someone who looks at the more mature side of creativity but even I can see that it's f-" he cut himself off when Patton glared at him. "Uh, I think it's… fudged up?" A sigh of relief escaped when Patton's glare relaxed slightly. "I mean, if Thomas starts drinking coffee, that's great! But when he drinks fifteen cups of coffee a day and can't go without one of them…?" He trailed off, eyes darting to Logan. The logical side noticed the way Remus' left hand squeezed the scarf. He was holding his thoughts back.

"It would be considered a problem." He finished, noting how Remus gave him a grateful look. "I do not think Remus is implying you have a codependency, Thomas. I think he is expressing concern about Roman taking control of matters while you're on a 'love caffeine' boost." Attention briefly turned to Remus, who had his right hand covering his left. When he realised everyone was focusing on him, he simply nodded in agreement. "It actually would make sense when one considers the research undertaken by psychologists about the topic of love. Take, for example, Helen Fisher. She describes love in a rather simplistic manner: ‘Romantic love begins as an individual comes to regard another as special, even unique. The love then intensely focuses his or her attention on this preferred individual, aggrandizing the beloved’s better traits and overlooking or minimizing his or her flaws. Lovers experience extreme energy, hyperactivity, sleeplessness, impulsivity, euphoria, and mood swings. They are goal-oriented and strongly motivated to win the beloved’. In a sense, it is almost akin to a form of ‘intrusive thinking’ -”

“Which is why Remus is here instead of Roman!” Virgil interrupted. “What did I tell you, Thomas? This is Remus trying to make you question whether or not it is love and turn you obsessed with that guy. You heard that definition Logan gave.”

“What? Why would you do that?” Thomas’ confusion was clear. “I thought you wanted to help!”

“But I do?” The Duke squawked defensively. Fortunately, Logan coughing into his hand returned attention back to him.

“If I may… _‘Intrusive thinking’_ is not the same as _‘intrusive thoughts’_. While Remus may focus on intrusive thoughts that focus on bringing Thomas discomfort through varying unsettling ideas and images -” Everyone except Logan gave Remus a suspicious look, though Remus didn’t respond, “- intrusive _thinking_ in this case is where the lover would think obsessively about the beloved to the point of desiring an ‘emotional union’.”

“It’s like when Thomas is trying to work on his chores, and all he can think about is the cliffhanger he was left on thanks to the Office. It niggles away in his mind like a termite - uh, like a woodpecker pecking the bark of a tree? - until he decides to do something about it and watch another episode.” Remus’ left thumb brushed against the soft material of the scarf. This was hard. Even so, it seemed to do the trick as Thomas relaxed a little.

“So it isn’t anything super bad, then? Just like an infatuation of some sort?” 

“That depends on you, Thomas. Are you infatuated, or do you want more than that?” Remus’ question hung in the air for several seconds. 

"I don't think I'm infatuated. I wanna see him again." Thomas glanced behind him, to where his phone lay on the couch.

"So you want to chase him across the earth until you have him all to yourself? You’d fight off anyone and everyone that dares give this guy so much as a smile?"

"What? No! I wanna talk to him again and try something. I’d never wanna force him to like me back!"

“Yes! There! That!” Everyone jumped at Remus’ excited giggling. “That’s it! Focus on that! _That’s_ the love you want. You don’t want to jump into this headfirst if you want to be happy. We all know how impulsive you can be sometimes.” As before, memories of some of Thomas’ vines crossed everyone’s minds. “All I’m trying to do is make sure Thomas doesn’t send a text message declaring his undying love and immediate desire to be with this guy forever and ever. I mean, unless you _want_ to scare him off before anything good can happen.”

“But what if that _is_ what he wants? Surely true love is worth being with someone forever and ever,” argued Patton. “Being in love is a wonderful thing. It should be celebrated! Why be such a - a downer?”

“I’m not doing anything of the sort! I’m just trying to tell Thomas to take his time. Trust me, if Roman were here? He’d make you call the guy right now. I guarantee it.” His right hand dropped to rest on his hip as he examined the scarf. “Look. I want Thomas to have a happy ending, just like all of you. Why do none of you believe that?”

“Because your reputation of causing stress and making matters worse precedes you?” Virgil quipped.

“You told Thomas that he’d lose all his friends if he talked about the thoughts that you force him to have!” Patton added.

“You also only ever voice your opinions on violent or sexual topics that clearly make Thomas uncomfortable.”

“And you keep attacking Roman to come here!”

“First of all, I told you I didn’t attack Roman this time.” Remus quickly countered. As much as he wanted his morningstar to prove his point by aggressively pointing it at the pair, he had to accept it wasn’t his for the time being. “Second, I **like** talking about violent and sexual topics! And third, I may be right about him losing his friends but he’s not going to _actually_ talk about anything I bring up!” Wait. That was a bad thing to say. Too late! “Are you really all so dull that you can’t imagine I’d want something nice for Thomas? You’re all as bad as Roman sometimes.” With a scowl, his eyes lowered to the scarf, only for his entire frame to slump. He didn’t want to have to do this, but it didn’t seem like he had much of a choice. The scarf was pulled away from his left hand and wrapped around his neck, inside the collar. The material, despite being soft, made his neck feel itchy. It likely clashed with his beloved green but it was the best way for him to take on a role. He closed his eyes and took a slow breath. Opening them revealed a more sombre expression.

“You’re a prince, Thomas. No matter what the laws might tell you, _you_ are a prince. One of the fairest in the whole land.” Thomas’ doubts lifted slightly as Remus began to speak in a forced, calmer tone. Almost like Roman, but still distinctly Remus. “Any prince as charming and gentle as you deserves to meet the man of your dreams. True, what this ‘dream guy’ looks like might be a mystery… What’s not to say it’s this guy?” The other Sides swapped looks. Patton and Virgil still seemed wary, while Logan was noticing the way Remus was acting. Was he channeling his brother to earn temporary trust? “I know you don’t like me, none of you do. But you have to believe me when I say that I’m trying to help you find that ‘happily ever after’.” Remus paused, one hand gently tugging the end of the scarf. “I have never once used your romantic love as inspiration for any of my ideas, and I never intend to. Even one such as I knows how important that is to you. Right, Virgil?” When the purple Side’s head perked up in confusion, Remus continued. “When Thomas has the comfort of his friends, you don’t work as hard. It was always like that, I remember! So when Thomas is with someone he loves…”

“I get stressed in case this isn’t the right person. I know that’s not what you want to hear, but I do.” Virgil kept his hands in his pockets, eyes down. “When Thomas realised he liked this guy, I started feeling stressed. What if this isn’t the right guy? What if he’s secretly an asshole-”

“Virgil!”

“Sorry,” Virgil recoiled at Patton’s scolding. “What if he's secretly a… _Jerk_ who will hurt Thomas? I have to keep him safe.”

“That is a normal reaction to have, Virgil.” Logan’s voice was softer than before to try and calm matters. “The brain releases several chemicals, such as dopamine, into the body. These, combined, would give Thomas a variety of reactions. The heart races, the cheeks flush, there is a surge of passion… And anxiety. The increase of the chemical cortisol brings a sense of ‘crisis’ that needs to be resolved. What you’re feeling is perfectly normal and you are doing a good job. If this is a relationship that will last, the chemical balance regarding the matter will stabilise in time, allowing Thomas to properly settle into the idea of a relationship as the ‘stress’ of love that you are experiencing lessens. Remus’ observation is correct.” At last, Remus felt like someone was on his side.

“In the same way, Roman needs a little time to ‘settle’ into the idea of being in love. That’s why you need to be sure what to say when I bring you to talk to him.” When there was no immediate response, Remus looked around blankly. “... What? I did mention something about going to see him, didn’t I? You’ll need him to write that text!”

“You know where he is?” asked Thomas dubiously. Remus nodded.

“Of course I do! He’s in his room. I would have sworn I said that...” Remus’ simple answer didn’t seem to be enough to persuade the others. “I know he likely spends a lot of time in that ‘communal area’, but he does have a special room deep within the Imagination for when he needs to work in peace. It’s nearly impossible to get to for the first time without any sort of Creativity as your guide and…” He trailed off, dramatically gesturing to himself.

“So you need to… ‘Guide’ us there? It can’t be that hard, right?”

“Wrong. Since you’re a creative soul, the space in your mind dedicated to the Imagination is so big, I can’t even try to compare it. Incalculable, maybe? Is that the right word?” When Logan nodded, Remus continued on with his rambling. “We never took the time to actually measure it, now I think about it-”

“ ‘We’? ”

“Roman and I, silly! Did you forget we weren’t always like this? Anyway! Since it’s so big, it’s very easy to get distracted by day-dreams and wandering thoughts - and that’s without mentioning the monsters we let loose in our adventuring days. If you want to find his room, you need someone who can keep those thoughts away. Think of me like…” He glanced down at the scarf. What would the safer option be here? “A security guard getting into a top-class party in a fancy mansion. Any of you could have opened the gate, but I’m the only one with the passcode to open the door.” There. Perfect! It even managed to bring a look of understanding to the others.

“What if it’s a trap?” Virgil piped up. “He’s brought trouble before. He could try and lose us in the Imagination.”

“And what if it’s not? You can make good choices. Why can’t I?” The room fell silent at Remus' counter. His eyes darted around as he realised that nothing was going to change their minds. They all truly did dislike him, something made all the more obvious when he noted Thomas. "Please. Just this once: trust me. I'll bring you there. No games, no tricks. You all need Roman right now. If you can't bring him here, then you need to go to him. I’m the only one who can help you, like it or not. Thomas, you hold the power to pull yourself back here if you really don't trust me. But without me, you can't travel that deep into the Imagination."

No one spoke. Thomas tried to read the room, but the reactions weren't encouraging. He wanted to believe Remus was telling the truth: that Roman was okay and just busy in his room. But experience showed he was a threat. It could be a trap.

"Thomas?" Logan's voice cut neatly through the silence. "You look distressed. I believe if we want to find out whether Remus is telling the truth, we will need to accompany him and see for ourselves." This decision horrified Patton and Virgil, but neither interrupted. "If Remus is telling the truth, then we will find Roman. But if he is lying, there are more of us than him. We will keep you safe." That prompted the other Lighter Sides to nod firmly in agreement. Even Remus seemed somewhat satisfied with this idea.

"Okay. We'll go with you. But… Promise that there will be no diversions or problems on the way." Thomas locked eyes with Remus. The green Side nodded and placed his right hand over his heart.

"You have a Duke's word. No monsters, no malice, no mayhem. A simple escort and nothing more." Besides, his morningstar was on the line! Why would he cause trouble if losing that was the cost?! "And I'll even make sure the trip there isn't too bumpy. The last thing you all need is motion sickness on top of culture shock. You'll be like secret shadow ninjas sneaking in for the kill!" The dramatic 'ninja moves' didn't go down as well as he hoped. When Patton and Virgil realised Thomas was seriously doing this, both resigned themselves to their fate.

"Alright… But just so we can see Roman and get all the help we need!" Patton didn't want Remus to think they were on good terms. He didn't know if he could trust someone who scared him. It didn't help when Remus turned his attention to him, staring intently like Remus wanted to read Patton's mind. 

"You'll need to be careful." Remus' words - along with the manner he flicked his wrist - had Patton recoil slightly. "Every Side has a room, and every room is like a strong vodka shot of an emotion. But Roman? His room is filled with passion. It'll swarm around and creep into your brain like ants. It will fuel whatever your beliefs are, making you willing to argue passionately to the bitter end. Keep focused, and keep grounded."

"But we need that passion… Don't we?"

"Well, yes. But does Thomas _need_ three extra concentrated shots of straight vodka right now? Or coffee, whatever. Keep your heads on your shoulders - figuratively." Remus threw a glance to Logan, who looked a little calmer at the reassurance that no one would be decapitated. "Any questions?"

Before anyone could speak, Remus raised his right hand with a flourish and slowly pressed down the air. This had the effect of forcing everyone else to duck out. Once they were gone, the role was briefly put aside so he could grin and sink out. As he did so, there was the sound of a toilet flushing.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group decided to trust Remus and let him bring them to Roman's room in the Imagination. Was he telling the truth about wanting to help and not hurting Roman? What will the Prince be like once they get there? Will they be able to find a solution to Thomas' dilemma?

The group dropped quietly - and bone dry - into the room of Roman's Creativity. As before, it was laid out like Thomas’ living room. Like Patton’s room, the lighting was warmer and friendlier. The blinds had been replaced with bold, royal curtains, ones only befitting of a prince. The walls were decorated with posters: old adventures, works of art created by Roman himself, references to beloved musicals and Disney movies, sketched portraits of the other Sides, and a framed photograph of Thomas dressed up as a prince for a music video. On the table sat the Lego Disney castle, illuminated like the real life building in the park. The stairs were covered in ivy that wrapped itself around the banister. While the others took in the sights, a rather bored looking Remus crossed the room and dropped down onto the couch to fiddle with the scarf. Rather than simply lie across a large portion of it, he sat on the edge closest to the stairs that would put him beside Logan. However, the logical side was drawn to the TV, muttering about the fire hazard of having lit fairy lights draped across it. Virgil was cautiously poking the ivy to check whether it was a poisonous strand. Patton had spotted a teddy bear dressed like a prince and immediately claimed it.

As for Thomas? He felt invigorated! The entire world was his for the taking! Anything at all he wanted, he could get with no questions asked. The instinct to create and provide content was at an all time high!!

“Why did I never come here before?” He asked in awe. “Any time I had motivation issues I could have solved it by being here.”

“You need to be careful about procrastination!” Remus called over from the couch. “Too much of this… 'Buzzy' feeling can make you so excited to do things that you do nothing at all. Oh! And remember what I said about keeping yourself grounded?" The Sides gave various noises of acknowledgement in reply. Satisfied he had done the hard part of the job, he sunk into the couch with a content sigh.

"Hey Thomas. Can I claim this as my spot? It's so comfy." Remus stretched to prove this.

"Uh, sure?" It was all Thomas was able to say before the Duke gave a satisfied yawn.

Melodic humming began, slowly catching everyone's attention. It was only then that they spotted Roman, rising to his feet after picking a book from the bookshelf. With a whimsical smile, he began to walk toward the main area of the room with his eyes on the book. It was only as he lifted his gaze to ready himself for the stairs did he finally notice everyone staring at him.

"Oh! This… is an unexpected surprise. Hello everyone!" Roman was taken aback by the sudden company, but took it all in his stride once he recognised everyone. "If I'd known I was having visitors I would have made drinks!"

"We aren't here for casual conversation." Logan was quick to get to the point, eager to leave before he "caught" feelings. "We came in to check on you and kindly request to tone down your excitement so Thomas can utilise the Short Messaging Service so he can send a text message to the person that he -"

"You're gonna ask him out?!" Roman interrupted in delight. "Thomas, this is excellent news! I have been hard at work writing out multiple scenarios of how you will declare your feelings for him. The first is by calling him and declaring 'you are the one I have been waiting for my whole life! You are the missing piece to the puzzle of my heart!' Oh! But the second idea would be just as good! In that, you -"

"That's why we're here, dear brother. We need to put a lid on the eccentric ideas." Remus, who was now relaxed and sprawled out on ‘his’ part of the couch, spoke out at last. The sight of his twin made Roman gasp in horror, nearly dropping his book in fright.

"I thought I said you were banned from my room! Did you not read the sign: 'No disgusting twins with facial hair allowed'?" He gestured to the sign, which was hung up behind the TV.

"I'm the only one who could get them here, Sickly in Love."

"That's just preposterous! If they wanted to come here, they should have just called me! I would have escorted them here with delight."

"Well…" Patton meekly raised the teddy bears’s hand to cut over the bickering. "We did. But when we called your name, you didn't respond!"

"Affirmative. I even tried summoning you directly, but that went unnoticed. It ultimately left your spot open and left us with -" Logan gestured to Remus, who lazily waved by opening and closing his hand, "- that."

"Actually speaking of 'leaving my spot open’, can we swap places? I don't want to be beside him." Roman used his thumb to point at Remus like the Duke couldn't hear the conversation.

"I was gonna say that it's weird seeing you two in the wrong spots," Thomas added quickly. Logan agreed with this. Both sides ducked out, only to pop up in their normal spots.

"It is far less confusing to see things from my normal perspective again." The logical Side gave Thomas a small smile, glad that Thomas seemed happier to have everyone in their familiar spots.

"Oh, this is SO much better!" Roman added, hugging the book tight to his chest with joy. "I'm so sorry I didn't hear any of you. I must have been lost in my thoughts again."

"And that's why we're here. Roman, I know you're likely very happy for me falling for this guy, but I can't figure out what the best thing to do is." Thomas was choosing his words carefully to not offend the prince. "I'm just as excited as you are, but I don't want to scare him off  _ because _ of my excitement." Thomas glanced over his shoulder to check with Remus if that was the right thing to say. In return, the Duke gave a quick thumbs up.

"Hey, hey hey!  **I'm** your main creative side? Why are you looking to  _ him _ for advice?" Not wanting to be outdone, Roman passed the book he was holding to Thomas. It was bright pink with multicoloured tabs marking various pages poking out on the side. It was clear at a glance this was a book frequently used. "This is the book I've been compiling your latest daydreams and ideas into. If you look through that, I'm sure that you'll find something that will fit what you're looking for!"

"Roman, the pink glitter on the cover is blinding me from here!" Remus teased with a cackle as he dramatically covered his eyes.

"Oh, shut up, Drabbiest-of-Them-All! Maybe I should cover  **you** in glitter! Might make you a little less repulsive." Without giving Remus a chance to counter and ruin the idea of pink glitter, Roman hastily continued, "Thomas! I promise that there will be something you'll like there. I know it's been difficult to gain everyone's approval but… I'm rather proud of these." Thomas briefly looked up from the book, noting how Roman was like a child showing their drawing to an adult so it could be stuck on the fridge.

"I'm just gonna put it out there - I'm not doing the one that requires a horse." 

"Oh, that's fair. I got carried with that one. But… open the page that's marked with the pink sticky tab." Thomas did so, and began to read the idea aloud:

> _ “The sun sets as the new lovers meet at the park. Thomas has opted to wear a shirt in his true love’s favourite colours and is holding something behind his back. As he approaches, Thomas whips his hand around to reveal a bunch of red roses in full bloom! ‘There is no truer way of admitting one’s love’, says Thomas, ‘and my feelings for you are as vibrant as these blossoms and as eternal as the connection between love and roses. Will you be my Prince Charming?’.” _

As he finished reading, Thomas quickly checked the reactions around the room. Roman waited expectantly for a response, Patton had his hands covering his mouth with a look of awe, Virgil was hardly impressed, Logan was bemused, and Remus mimed gagging when Thomas glanced over his shoulder.

“Well?” Roman asked, breaking the silence. “What do you think?”

“That was so **Roman** -tic!” Patton’s dramatic sigh was the immediate response. “It sounds like a dream come true to have the one you love confess in such a beautiful way!”

“Really?” Logan raised an eyebrow. “You honestly thought that was the right approach for this? We might know this young man’s sexual orientation, but it’s preposterous to assume that he has any romantic feelings toward us based on that and little other evidence.”

“Exactly! That was what I-”

“No one cares what you think, Remus!” Upon being overruled by his twin, Remus sighed and slumped back into the couch. “But that’s why we get out there! I know you always take the ‘safe and sensible’ route with everything you ever do in the entire history of ever, but love is a different manner. We need to get out there and try! If we sit idly by, we’ll miss this opportunity! Is that what you really want?”

“I haven’t said anything about questioning Thomas’ motives in pursuing this man’s romantic affections. I have no intentions to cast doubt over his feelings and cause unnecessary stress. I simply question the logical sense in going to such an extreme, only to possibly be rejected. We can’t know the precise odds such a risk will warrant.” Logan truly was the teacher of the group, explaining his position as concisely as possible.

“Because it’s ROMANTIC! Love is something that should be celebrated and cherished! It’s not like ticking boxes on one of those ‘to-do’ lists!” 

“Actually… Logan does raise a good point.” Virgil’s voice was low, but it was able to stop an argument breaking out. “Why go to such an extreme? I’m not entirely sure he was into Thomas like that earlier. He could reject Thomas, and reject him hard. So not only will Thomas look like a fool, but he’ll also lose a potential new friend. I thought it was safe to assume after last time that we weren’t gonna try again. Thomas said the last guy that was with him was unhappy, remember? Do we want to go through that again?”

“Now, now, Living on the Edgelord, that’s not helping either.” Remus’ interruption surprised everyone, Roman included. “That’s a bit of an overreaction, and that’s saying something coming from me. All we’re doing is testing the water. Does he like Thomas romantically? Great! He’s in a new relationship! Does he not like Thomas romantically? It’ll suck, but he’ll live. Maybe they’ll be friends instead.”

“But you don’t know that, Remus,” Virgil snapped.

“Neither do you, Virgil. Need I remind you all that none of us can objectively see the future?” Logan sighed, knowing this was like reminding children that they cannot eat play-dough.

“And that’s why we need Roman to help us make the best choice!” concluded Patton with a wide smile. Thomas turned to check Remus just in time to spot the Dark Side slap his hand on his forehead and sink lower into the couch.

“But, uh… What if I don’t want to make a big public affair out of this? What if I want to keep it more… Discreet?” The question raised by Thomas hung in the air for a few seconds; bar Roman reaching out with both hands, rapidly opening and closing them with the intention of taking the idea book back. Once it was passed over, Roman conjured up a pen and began scribbling some notes.

“Then you say nothing. Duh.” Virgil was the first to provide an answer. “Say nothing, and your feelings won’t be hurt. Win-win.”

“But that won’t help matters at all! How can we not let Thomas find his true love?” Patton’s sulk made Virgil withdraw more into his hoodie. “Kiddo, I think Roman has a great idea! If you’re in love, say it loud and say it clear for the whole wide world to hear! It’s a magical moment and you should make the most out of it!” 

“See? See?? Patton gets it! You deserve such a perfect cutie pie! You gotta get your slice before you miss out!” Roman dramatically gestured toward Patton, seemingly his only ally in this farce.

“Are you even listening to yourself right now? You’re derailing the conversation by talking about food. We have a more serious issue to deal with first.” Logan shook his head at Roman before the four descended into childish bickering. At last, it appeared Remus’ warning was coming true. The other Sides were starting to become more passionate about their opinions. Worried that matters were getting out of hand, Thomas turned to face the couch, only to discover Remus sitting there, perfectly content. He had to do a double-take, baffled at the sheer contrast between Remus and the others.

“Oh, I’ve snuck in here a thousand times, I’m used to it,” Remus chirped with a dismissive wave of his right hand. “But this is the problem with Roman’s room. You happen to remember Logan saying something about ‘dopamine’? Well, this is it in action.” The pair briefly turned their attention back to the others, who were still ranting over one another. “Dopamine is a chemical that your brain oozes out when you do good things. It’s like, uh, a kid getting candy for good behaviour?” No bad reaction to that prompted Remus to continue. “Dopamine is what helps you feel good about things, like spending time with people you love, having sex, and taking cocaine like I said before. But! When you fall in love with someone, you get a lot of dopamine. It’s why you feel so giddy and full of energy. It puts you in a sorta overdrive state.” He gestured toward Roman and Patton. “Then, there’s another little chemical called norepinephrine - or noradrenalin - that kicks your fight or flight instinct up the butt and makes you alert about everything.” With that, he nodded to Virgil. “What else… Oh! Do you remember how Logan mentioned cortisol?”

“Yeah…?” Thomas gave a wary look at the logical side, who seemed oblivious to his name being mentioned.

“Good! So when you have a lot of cortisol, it lowers another chemical called serotonin. A researcher named Schwartz described these low levels as the ‘intrusive, maddeningly preoccupying thoughts, hopes, terrors of early love’. It’s the reason why there are so many obsessive traits and behaviours associated with infatuation!”

“Ah. That explains how you know about this.”

“That, and I stole and ate one of Logan’s books about brain stuff one time.”

“Didn’t need to know that, thanks. So what do we do?”

“Low serotonin means higher impulsivity, right? We gotta stomp that out and take a more sensible, boring approach. And to do that, we need Roman on our side. May I?”

Thomas squinted. “You aren’t going to hit him again, are you?” Remus’ response was to point to Patton, who was shaking Remus’ morningstar while whining about the importance of roses and cheesy romantic cards. “Okay, fine. But no making matters worse.” 

“You have a Duke’s word.” Placing his hand on his chest, Remus gave a polite bow before sinking out. In a blink, he reappeared to Roman’s right.

“I don’t know why it’s so hard for you to see what I - Sweet Lady Guinevere’s Royal Throne what do YOU want?!” Roman shrieked and jumped to the left, finally bringing an end to the colossal argument.

“Hey, hey, it’s okay. Can I see the book for a moment?” Remus lifted his right hand while asking, but it only prompted Roman to shake his head and hold the notebook closer to his chest. “I’m not gonna do anything bad. I just want to see what idea is marked with the green tab. You know what I’m like with green!” This didn’t work either, but Roman’s expression shifted to suspicion.

“Why do you want to know?”

“It’s like Patton said: you’re the love expert.” Upon hearing Remus say his name, Patton immediately hugged the morningstar in delight, only to poke himself in the cheek with one of the spikes. “Besides, you really think Thomas would want  **me** to come up with the good idea when  **you’re** the smarter of us, especially when it comes to love?” Folding his arms, Remus tilted his head to the right to peer at his brother.

“Well… I suppose I have been trying to get new, exciting ideas out there… Alright!” Though he didn’t dare hand the notebook over, Roman did open it and flip to the right page. “It’s still a work in progress since it feels so… bland. I was thinking of the good old fashioned romance movies. You know, the setting is ordinary but there's that small spark of magic in the air. There isn't a sense of excitement or passion in it, and I can't quite decide what to do about it." He lifted his gaze to Thomas, who nodded with a look of interest. So far, Roman had everyone's attention. "It would be in a coffee shop, Thomas would meet our Handsome Fellow there, and…" He trailed off, that creative spark seeming to fizzle a little. However, it only provided ample opportunity for Remus to finish the sentence:

"Rob it!"

"Ugh, no! How many times do I have to tell you that crime is not how we find true love?" The Prince huffed at his brother.

"Bonnie and Clyde would object with that~" Remus wagged a finger with a toothy grin. "So why don't we have our little lovebirds meet and chat while -"

"That would be a rather practical approach, Roman, like I have been trying to suggest," Logan agreed, speaking over Remus. No one noticed how the Duke folded his arms with a childish huff. "Simple and straightforward, with minimal chance of messing up and providing stress. Put simply, you have provided a 'big brain moment'." A vocab card was raised with the phrase scribbled on it.

"But where is the magic? The excitement?" Roman started, a hand on his chest.

"Not everything needs to be so flamboyant, Roman," interrupted Virgil. Unfortunately, it only prompted Roman to give an offended squawk in response, much like how Remus did earlier.

"Ex-CUSE me? You all come into MY room, argue with me about the point of trying to woo a freaking cute guy, and  **now** you dare to say there's no place in the world for magic?!" Virgil attempted to cut in and clarify, but Roman spoke over him. "No, you don't get it. None of you do! Love is one of the most important things in the world! It's the reason to get up, to pursue interests, to get good grades, to find that happily ever after! Why do you think so many stories focus on love? Belle and the Beast, Rapunzel and Eugene, Jack and Rose! There is even tragedy in love: Romeo and Juliet, Paris and Helen of Troy!" The inclusion of historical references caught Logan’s attention. "Humans are among the most emotional creatures in the world. Why must making sure someone loves us also resort to some mundane schedule?"

"Because taking the more fanciful approach risks embarrassment, shame, awkward stares, and a chance for this young man to never speak to Thomas again. We've just had this conversation and we are going in figurative circles. This constant back-and-forth is only going to stress Thomas further." Roman's drive deflated like a balloon as Logan provided a rational answer to his question. "Besides, there is nothing 'mundane' about this."

"You are not allowing love to prosper! Why do we indulge in the arts if not to strive for love?" Roman's excitement seemed to be fraying in frustration at being belittled yet again.

"Why do you indulge in having a sword up your butt?" Remus' childish remark had Roman scowl and cross his arms. "And Logan, why do you - 'figuratively' - have a measuring stick up -"

"Remus!" Thomas snapped.

"Whoops! Forgot my place. Can both of you just shut up for a second? I actually like Roman's idea." Everyone froze for a moment to stare wide-eyed at the twins. Roman was trying to decide whether he should be offended or concerned. Remus threw his arms up in a loose shrug. "Look, I know I don't 'get' love like Roman does, but I know enough to know what a good idea sounds like. Why  _ not _ a coffee shop? Isn't that where all those fics start?"

"Hey, yeah! Coffee shop barista dating a regular!" Patton beamed as he contributed. In return, Remus pointed excitedly.

"Yes! That! It's become like a ballroom of the modern time! Why  _ not _ meet there? Simple moments can bring about that magic, like the way they catch the other’s gaze, or hearing him laugh at a joke Thomas makes. Then, they could always go into the bathroom and -"

"I think I might be on to something!" Roman raised his pen in triumphant declaration, like he hadn't heard a word Remus said. It meant all eyes except Thomas' were on Roman. Only Thomas saw the way the Duke gave his brother a slight, knowing smile. "One of my other ideas included ice cream, but that wasn't all you two talked about. You both talked about liking the same cupcakes. What if… You both order two different flavours - one each, of course - and split them? That isn't too reckless a move." He tipped the pen toward Virgil, who gave a hum in agreement. "You could even be a true gentleman and offer to pay for his drink too. If he objects, suggest he pays next time. A perfectly reasonable - and possibly platonic if it backfires - idea. Right?"

"Right." Logan seemed to appreciate the stance taken. 

"Plus! It's a gift. If he does want to date Thomas, it's still potentially romantic. Which can lead us to consider other ideas I've already written." Inspiration had truly hit home as Roman grinned. "It's like the prologue of a wonderful tale of love and affection. Thomas!" The pen was now dramatically pointed to the man of the hour. "You are to send him a text message!"

"Oooh, let me guess." Remus coughed into his hand before breaking into his best Roman impression. Unlike earlier, it was still using his own nasally voice to emphasise an immature mockery. "Ooooh! My heart swoons for you and you must allow me to sweep you off your feet! Meet me for coffee so that I may smooch you!!"

"No!" Roman defensively barked a little too fast. Virgil, who had been shaking quietly, finally had a laugh slip out following Remus' impression and was on the receiving end of a burning glare from Roman. "I wasn't going to say that at all! I was thinking: 'Are you free on Saturday afternoon at 3? There's some new cupcakes I've been dying to try'."

"That sounds… Adequate." Logan had to quickly change his tune when he noticed Thomas looking at him.

"You know… I think it might just work. We had agreed to swap our favourite locations that have the best snacks. Plus, I know a place that we could walk around outside if it’s a nice day." Thomas' face was bright with a smile as the idea sank in. "I can test the waters about a date, but either way I'll still be able to spend time with him. I might have feelings for him, but I still like him as a person. If we are just friends and nothing else, then that's okay."

"Yeah… You'll get something nice out of it no matter what happens." Patton's voice was sweetened with sentimentality as the pieces were being put together. "And who am I to think either option is a bad one? If this fella makes Thomas happy, then I say we take it one step at a time."

"It… might help me feel less like we're making a big mistake." Virgil glanced at Roman, who seemed to be positively delighted with himself, and Remus who… was no longer standing there? "So yeah. Meet as friends and see where it goes. I can work with that, and I'll try not to jump to conclusions too fast."

"Excellent. It seems like we have solved our dilemma. Thomas will need to return to his own living room and work in formulating the ideal text message that ensures no mixed emotional implications. I will be sure to help Thomas on the matter… Provided Roman can assist in making sure it doesn't sound so 'mundane'." Logan merely suggesting Roman should have a say in the final message was enough for the prince to feel a boost of motivation.

"In the meantime, I will continue working and help make sure you have plenty of conversation topics for that coffee shop meeting." Roman put a hand over his heart and nodded. "I'm afraid I won't be returning with you, but I will make a better effort to make sure I don't miss you calling for me when you are ready to write that message."

"That's all I ask, Princey. Can't have my passion ignore me in my time of need!" Thomas laughed as he clapped his hands together. "Now then. Can you do the honours and send us back?"

"Done, and done! Farewell, noble Imagination Voyagers. Next time we must have a proper adventure! I could give you a grand tour!" Roman raised his left hand with a flourish, and the world briefly turned glittery.

* * *

* * *

When Thomas and the three Sides dropped back into the living room, they were only  _ slightly _ sparkly following the glitter bomb of their return. Logan was the worst affected, though it was hard to decide whether it was a deliberate act by Roman or an unfortunate circumstance. Patton was amused by how moving his head brought out more glitter. Thomas, who was the least affected, simply brushed the remains of it off his shoulders.

"It feels much better to not have that metaphorical burden of emotional drive on my shoulders. It is far too distracting. I don't understand how any of you can work with that." Logan grumbled, shaking his tie free of glitter in an attempt to regain some dignity as a serious Side.

"Gotta say, I feel like we really passed that with flying colours!" Patton ruffled his hair gleefully, letting the colourful glitter shoot into the air. "You gonna be able to send that text okay?"

"Yeah… yeah. I might get a coffee first to give myself time to think about what to say. Thank you guys for helping me figure out what to do."

"We didn't really do much. We just argued until Roman had a good idea," Virgil tried to point out, but Patton shook his head.

"Roman had that good idea all along deep in his noggin. He simply needed to look at it again and  **_wow_ ** us all with his work. I knew all along he could do it! Oooh, I should make him a card to keep his spirits up!" Apparently still feeling the buzz of passion and creativity, Patton quickly ducked out with a hearty wave.

"If you are waiting to send that message, I think I shall do some research to determine the most apt choice of emoji." Giving a curt nod to Thomas, Logan also sank out.

"I… think I'm gonna go shake my hoodie out. I don't trust Roman and that glitter. Good luck." It was all Virgil could muster himself to say before dropping out. With everything sorted, Thomas was left standing alone. He turned to the couch to fetch his phone, only to yelp in surprise.

"What? I thought you saw me when you came back!" Remus, who had been sitting in 'his' spot on the couch the entire time, threw up his hands in innocence.

"Why did you leave before the rest of us?"

"Not much point sticking around when I did what I was meant to. We didn't want Roman getting too distracted with me there, did we?" Thomas didn't respond at first. He lifted his phone off the table before sitting on the opposite side of the couch. For a few long seconds, he stared at the screen, idly tilting it side to side in examination.

"Remus?" Thomas didn't sound too confident as he broke the silence. "Why did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"You know… Help. Like this. You were looking out for me."

"You needed Creative Guidance, and Roman needed grounding to do that." At first, that seemed to be that, but Remus sighed. "You guys are too harsh on Roman sometimes. He's trying his best, but it's not good to constantly let the others put him down. Today was his day to shine. Let him have it, and don't mention that I was trying to help."

"I don't get why you say that. You did such a good job today -"

Remus shook his head. "But you only appreciate me and say that because I was acting more like Roman. If I've earned your approval by playing a part, does it really count?" Thomas opened his mouth to speak, but Remus continued. "You don't like me, Thomas. That's not something that hurts my feelings."

"But what if you stop acting like that and be someone better? You've shown you can!"

"And become a Roman 2.0, you mean?" Remus tugged the scarf that was still around his neck. "People might not like me, but  **I** like me for who I am. If it means I'm never truly welcome to give input, then what can you do? I'd much rather be honest and let people like the real me instead of the ideal me. How can you spice up your life if you only use salt in your dishes?" He didn't sound offended, and that seemed to help ease a little bit of Thomas' guilt.

"But I don't want to be someone else that hates you. I want to know you better."

"That's up to you, not me. Put some salsa into your content, consider reviewing corsets on your channel, and then get back to me~" Remus winked, much to Thomas' disdain. "I gotta go. Don't wanna spoil the mood with the ideas brewing in my mind. You got a 'date' to arrange, and I got a new deodorant that’s calling my name!”

"Remus, wait-" But in the moment Thomas blinked, Remus had disappeared. 

Love is certainly a complicated thing. You might want to dive head first into it all, but sometimes that little bit of caution can help. Love - whether familial, platonic, or romantic - are important parts of our lives. It's okay to be excited by the possibility of a new relationship that could change your life for the better. The Dalai Lama sums it up rather nicely: "Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive". We need these connections in our lives to enrich our experiences. Our world tells us that falling in love is something we should be excited for, and that's an amazing thing! And if you are someone who does not experience romantic attraction, love and compassion with friends and family will make your life so meaningful. No matter what, it’s still an important thing that makes life so much better.

Take today to send someone a message to tell them you love them. It'll brighten up their day, promise. Take it easy guys, gals, and non-binary pals. 

Peace out!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Research about love used in this fic can be [checked out here](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bMXopNIMTFBvEEo9vmz_P6PcZBfjiuFqJ6hkcdaXzpw/edit?usp=sharing) if you are interested. As someone who's coming to terms with being aroace... It was oddly helpful to read up on it.


	3. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Can't have a Sanders Side Episode without the Credits Scene, eh?

Thomas was in the kitchen, smiling as he texted someone on his phone. Over by the TV, Roman let out a content sigh. It was always a nice feeling to see the fruits of his labour bring about such a fantastic moment, but that wasn't just why he was here. He took a deep breath to shake off the shudder to ground himself so he could summon a Side.

"Remus!"

"Roman~!" Remus purred, hopping up in Patton's normal spot. "Have you decided there should be some sexual tensio-" he was cut off as his own morningstar was abruptly handed to him.

"There. I've done my job. Don't ruin this for Thomas." Roman's quick warning was all that was said as the prince ducked out. Remus was about to do the same, when he spotted a note taped onto the handle:

> _ "You did a good job today. Sorry I can't give this back to you in person, but I'm a dad who keeps his side of a deal! Patton." _

There was even a little doodle of Patton in case the Duke forgot who that was. Despite himself, Remus chuckled softly at the note. However…

"Wait a minute. Is that my scarf??" Roman popped back up again. "Why are you wearing my scarf?!"

"Only showing I rock red better than you. Byeee~" Remus quickly ducked out before Roman could try and grab it.

"Remus? REMUS! Ugh." Roman's shoulders dropped when he realised he wasn't getting his scarf back. "This is why I hate him…"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this! It means a lot that you would take the time to read this massive piece I've been working on since mid-June. It's the first time I've written practically all the Sides, so I hope I've done them justice. This has been a mini labour of love for me, and the longest piece I've written in many years. The fact that I started a project and felt satisfied with it to post it is a big deal for me (hence why it's all posted today), so I'm really happy I finally get to share it.
> 
> I'm not the quickest writer out there, but I am always happy to learn. If there's anything you think I could work on, or want to ask me about, feel free to shoot me a message over on my tumblr - [gottawriteanegoortwo](gottawriteanegoortwo.tumblr.com). I hope you have a wonderful day! <3


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